


To The Left

by DistractedSiren



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fluffity Fluff Fluff, Modern AU, Tinder mishaps, meet cute, slight holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-20 15:15:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21283793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistractedSiren/pseuds/DistractedSiren
Summary: With one last look at those heart-melting green eyes, she swipes left.“Ouch,” comes an amused voice from behind her. “So it’s a hard no on that guy, huh?”Byleth spins around and there he is, Claude von Riegan. There’s laughter dancing in his eyes and his good looks are even more unbelievable in person. When he sees that she recognizes him, he winks.“Well, I can’t blame you. I’m often told I’m a lot more trouble than I’m worth. I’m Claude, by the way,” he says, holding out his hand.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 29
Kudos: 478





	To The Left

**Author's Note:**

> So this all came about from a tumblr post which I will include a link to below. It's a great premise for a meet-cute so I took full advantage. And...er, apparently my version of Fódlan has a very Christmas-like winter solstice holiday because I'm a sucker for Christmas-y fics.
> 
> I went back and forth about whether or not to add a second chapter from Claude's POV and landed on "yes," so that will be on its way soon. Still working on chapter 7 of "Fate and Other Lessons" too, though that one is much more complicated than this haha.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!! Thank you for indulging my writing whims and for all the amazing support <3
> 
> Oh, and--full disclosure, I've never used Tinder so I'm just trying to make educated guesses about the basic functions.

** [Link to the prompt](https://itsbylethbish.tumblr.com/post/188753825081/stuckyrecs-imagine-your-otp-if-this-isnt) **

* * *

For the first time in years, Byleth is going to spend the winter solstice holiday with her father. They’re going to do it right this time too: they’re going to decorate, attend the special markets and festivals, exchange gifts, have a special meal…all of it. And though it seems a little silly, she has to admit that there’s a part of her that’s kind of excited too.

Excited and nervous, actually. Because for the first time in her life, she’s going to fly.

Rationally she knows that it’s a safe form of travel. It’s certainly safer than trying to navigate the treacherous mountain passes of Fódlan’s Throat in a rented car. But she’s never been thrilled about the idea of sitting in a giant metal tube flinging its way through the atmosphere a couple miles above the ground. That just sounds like tempting fate.

But she’s decided months ago not to waste her vacation time driving back and forth from Garreg Mach to Almyra’s capital city, a trip that would take at least two days each way. She does wish he’d retired somewhere a little closer, but…well, he raised her alone, often sacrificing his own wants or needs to meet hers. She shouldn’t complain too much if living in Almyra makes him happy.

With this in mind, she straightens out her coat and scarf and marches up to one of the large flat screen displays that broadcast the arrival and departure information for all recent flights. And hers—hers has been delayed. For _hours._

It isn’t ideal. In fact, she finds it difficult not to be annoyed. But at least it hasn’t been canceled outright. With a sigh, she reaches into her carryon bag for her phone. She just hopes her late arrival won’t inconvenience her dad too much.

Byleth isn’t used to having free time. She’s a professor and she works a lot. She also teaches self-defense and kickboxing just because she’s good at it. She doesn’t have a demanding social life, but she has a few friends that she sees on the weekends when she can. So hours of empty time to be filled is…intimidating. She has a book, but she wants to save that for the hours she’ll be stuck in the sky. Other than that, her sole source of entertainment at hand is her phone.

She glances down at it. Most of her apps were either pre-loaded or practical, but there’s one…

It had been Flayn’s idea. She absolutely was forbidden from using the app herself, but Byleth didn’t have an overprotective father breathing down her neck, and she was young, and pretty, and she really should be meeting more people. So Flayn had downloaded this thing called Tinder on her behalf. Before Byleth could even look at it, Flayn had created a profile and set up her preferences. It was only after this had been finished that Byleth had understood that Tinder was a dating app.

“It’s easy to use. You get matched up with people. If you’re interested, swipe right and you can look at their profiles and message them. If you’re not, swipe left and keep looking. It’s fun!” Flayn had said.

Fun doesn’t seem like the right word for it, but Byleth understands the appeal. It _is_ easy, and for someone too busy to spend time at bars or meetups, it must seem like a good way to make a connection.

It’s just…well, she isn’t sure she wants connections. She has friends and romance doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of her life right now. Not that Tinder seems to be offering much in the way of traditional romance. Based off of some of the DMs she’s received, it’s a much more casual arrangement. Those are fine—even fun on the few times she’s embarked on them herself—but right now even casual hangouts seem like an extra complication.

Still, she hasn’t got anything better to do. She settles herself in a remarkably uncomfortable plastic chair, tries not to elbow the person sitting beside her, and opens the app.

Guys and girls have matched with her. She reads her messages and tries not to get too creeped out by one guy that’s increasingly angry she hasn’t messaged him back. Then she starts browsing through her matches.

Dimitri looks nice. Pretty eyes, at least. Decent grammar and spelling. But he’s definitely looking for a fairytale romance. She even sees the phrase “searching for my other half, so I may treat her like the queen she is.” And as earnest as he seems, she moves on.

Sylvain is good looking and definitely _not_ seeking out a love connection. Or rather, he’s seeking out _every_ love connection. His profile would make her father laugh, and she is smirking to herself a little too, but she passes him as well.

Edelgard is striking. If Dimitri’s eyes were pretty, hers are _stunning_. Her profile is very direct. She actually titles one section. “Rules of Engagement,” and lists out everything she wants and expects from a partner. It’s a bold approach, and one that Byleth admires, but there are a _lot_ of rules. Byleth doesn’t finish them all before she swipes left again.

Felix’s profile has clearly been written by someone else. The last line contains an invitation to duel. Byleth bites her lip to hide a smile and _almost_ swipes right, just for the duel. In the end, she decides against it.

Ferdinand von Aegir doesn’t seem to be looking for anyone, but he does like to talk about himself. _Left._

Ignatz seems like a sweet, artsy kind of boy, but definitely the type that would fall in love after a half hour. _Left_.

Dorothea looks like the kind of fun that ends up in copious drama and maybe a keyed car. _Left._

She hesitates on her next match: Claude von Riegan. He’s definitely handsome. Those eyes of his seemed designed to capture hearts, or at least attention. His smile is wide, his expression just a little mischievous, and his profile is funny and flirty and smart. She nearly swipes right just to get her fingers into his hair, but there’s a red light flashing a warning in the back of her mind.

_This one wants you to fall for him, but he wouldn’t let himself fall for you. Romancing others is like…like an experiment to him, I think._

So, with one last look at those heart-melting green eyes, she swipes left.

“Ouch,” comes an amused voice from behind her. “So it’s a hard no on that guy, huh?”

Byleth spins around and _there he is, _Claude von Riegan. There’s laughter dancing in his eyes and his good looks are even more unbelievable in person. When he sees that she recognizes him, he winks.

“Well, I can’t blame you. I’m often told I’m a lot more trouble than I’m worth. I’m Claude, by the way,” he says, holding out his hand.

“Uh…” Byleth has no idea what the social contract dictates for this particular situation, so she simply takes his hand and gives it a shake. “Byleth.”

“I know you swiped left but my plane isn’t taking off for a couple of hours…wanna grab a cup of coffee?” Then, when she opens her mouth to decline because she’s pretty sure what she’s feeling is more embarrassed than she’s ever been in her life, he adds, “It’s the least you could do, after so cruelly breaking my heart on Tinder.”

Her ‘no’ disappears, turning into a disbelieving huff that makes him chuckle.

“Surely your heart isn’t that fragile,” she says. He only grins and nods to a coffee stand just beyond the next gate. She grabs her carryon and joins him as he begins walking that way.

“It’s a _little _fragile,” he tells her as they fall into step together.

“I think that’s your ego, not your heart.”

“Yeesh!” he laughs, not at all insulted. In fact, he seems to be relishing this. His eyes are studying her like she’s something he’s never encountered before. “You sure don’t pull your punches, do you? Is it weird that I kind of like that?”

She shrugs. He’s much quicker on his feet than she is, conversationally at least, and even she can feel the irresistible tug of his charm. What the hell is he doing on a dating app? People have got to be falling at his feet, ready to be swept away by him.

“So, is puncturing over-inflated egos what you do for a living, or am I just lucky?” he asks as they join the queue for coffee.

“I’m a professor at Garreg Mach University,” she says, and he shoots her another look. This one is speculative.

“You must be new in that case,” he observes, and she nods.

“Just started my second year.”

“It’s my alma mater,” he tells her. Then he grins again, looking devilish. “Maybe I’ll go back for a doctorate in…what do you teach, Teach?”

She wants to roll her eyes, but she’s actually kind of enjoying his teasing so she answers him instead. “History. Specifically the history of Reunification.”

“Ah, very interesting stuff,” he says. “One of my ancestors was involved.”

“Involved is a funny way of saying he was the King of Unification,” she says. “Unless you were named after some other Claude von Riegan?”

“Ah…nope,” he replies with a quick laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s the guy alright. Mum always told me I look like him too, but who knows? All we’ve got are some old paintings.”

“What do you do?” she asks him, but he only smiles at her.

“Hmm, I think I prefer to maintain an air of mystery,” he muses. “After all, if you change your mind about that pesky swipe, I have to make sure to have some conversation material left for the second date.”

“Second date?” she asks, and he nods and points to the menu board.

“Sky’s the limit,” he tells her. “It’s my treat. Which makes _this_ our first date.”

His smile turns into a victorious grin, and this time she does roll her eyes at him. Then she thanks him and orders an americano while he gets a cappuccino and a pastry.

“So,” he asks when they pick up their drinks and sit at a small café table. He pushes the pastry to the center of the table and gestures for her to help herself. “Are you heading home for the holidays?”

“After a fashion,” she replies. She tears off a small chunk of the pastry to be polite. “My father moved to Almyra after he retired, so I’m heading there to be with him.”

Claude’s eyes are studying her again. “It’s a big thing to move to another country. He must like it there.”

“He loves it. He doesn’t have a drop of Almyran blood that we know of, but he says it’s more home than Fódlan ever was.”

“And do you like it?”

She shrugs. “This will be my first visit.” Then, when a silence falls as he continues to observe her expression, she asks, “Where are you off to?”

“It truly is a small world,” he says, taking his own chunk of pastry. “I’m on my way to Almyra too. But in my case I really _am_ going home for the holidays.”

“That sounds nice,” she replies, unsure if it does or not. He doesn’t say it with any particular inflection, so she can’t tell if he’s looking forward to it or dreading it. He sees her confusion and it seems to amuse him all over again.

“Well, going home is never boring, I’ll put it that way.” He leans over the table toward her. It’s a very small table, so he ends up very close. She takes in a breath but doesn’t let it out again right away, startled by his sudden nearness.

“Just out of curiosity, why _did_ you swipe left? We seem to get along just fine, after all.”

Byleth holds his gaze, but the answer seems to swim out of her brain as she stares into his eyes. “I…Uh…thought you might be dangerous. For me.”

That surprises him. He blinks at her, his mouth twitching downward. “Aw, Teach…I’d never hurt a fly.”

“No, not…not physically,” she says, waving a hand. “You don’t seem like the type and anyway, I can handle myself in that situation.”

“So I’m dangerous to you emotionally?” He’s still frowning. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

“You draw people in,” she explains, feeling extremely out of her depth now. She’s also turning pink: she can feel the heat in her cheeks and ears. “That part’s obvious. And you’re charming and smart and…” She can’t tell him he’s handsome. She’ll really be embarrassed then. Besides, he’s probably aware of that fact by now. “But it just seemed like you made that profile as a social experiment. Some sort of way to test people or…or I don’t know. But it didn’t seem…genuine.”

His expression is serious for once, and his eyes are riveted on her face. “Who are you, Teach?” he asks, but the question seems more directed at himself than her. He shakes his head a little and suddenly he’s smiling again.

“I guess the profile was more of a joke than anything else. A friend made me do it. And you? You don’t seem like the dating app type.”

Byleth makes a little face, though she notices he didn’t deny anything she said. “I didn’t even know what it was. My friend downloaded it for me and made the profile herself. I think she thinks I’m lonely.”

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

He smirks at her. “Lonely,” he supplies, leaning back into his chair.

She sips her americano as she considers. “No.” But when he arches an eyebrow at her, she relents and says, “Maybe. It’s hard to tell. I’m busy, and that feels like enough most of the time.”

“Most of the time…” He drums his fingers on the table. “But not the rest of the time?”

She decides she’s tired of being interrogated. “You must be lonely too, since you didn’t take your profile down.”

He shrugs. “Most people decide they know all about me right off the bat. I guess I was hoping to find someone who is willing to take the time to actually _learn_ who I am, and to let me learn about them in return.”

That seems like a surprisingly genuine answer. “Is that so hard to find?”

He looks away. “I’ve got a well-known name and a decent amount of money. So sometimes…yeah.”

“I’m emotionally stunted and aloof,” she tells him with a shrug, “so I guess I understand.”

That makes him laugh as their gazes meet again. “You’re not aloof,” he replies. His tone is warmer now. “But you _are _fascinating.”

She definitely blushes this time, and her eyes drop to the lid of her drink so he won’t see her flat out disbelief. He reaches out and brushes a knuckle over her skin, letting it ripple over each finger holding her coffee cup. The contact rolls through her like a shock wave, leaving her feeling frazzled but wanting more.

“I think I’d like to learn about you,” he says softly. She peeks up at him. He isn’t teasing her this time.

“You might not like what you learn,” she warns him. “Or at least, it might disappoint you.”

He smiles at her. “Let me be the judge of that.”

“Then…okay.”

“Okay?”

She holds out her phone. “To a second date." 

His grin is wide as he takes the phone. He enters in his number and passes it back. He’s labeled his contact information as “Teacher’s Pet,” and it makes her groan out loud.

“Are you always this cheesy?” she asks him.

He winks at her. “I guess you’ll find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should clarify that while modern Claude is a descendant of the King of Unification, there was no Reunifcation version of Byleth in this universe...just so we don't run into any weird incest stuff.
> 
> Edit: I’ve been corrected about the genetics, but I still don’t love the idea of pairing two people directly descended from the same couple even with a 300ish year gap, so I’m still leaving Byleth out of the Reunification. *shrug* it’s an AU after all.


End file.
